What You Should Know About Using American Ginseng For Diabetes Care

What You Should Know About Using American Ginseng for Diabetes Care

As the diabetes epidemic continues to grow, herbs such as American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) are being studied for their potential effects on the disease (now the seventh leading cause of death in the United States). Also used for such health purposes as fending off colds and fighting fatigue, American ginseng appears to aid in diabetes management in part by improving blood sugar control.
American ginseng contains a class of compounds called ginsenosides.
Known to possess antioxidant properties, ginsenosides have been found to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation (two factors that may play a key role in the development and progression of diabetes).
Research Related to Blood Sugar Control
For people with diabetes, maintaining control over blood sugar levels is essential for health. Elevated blood sugar levels can lead to a host of serious complications, including atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular issues.
In preliminary research on animals, scientists have found that compounds extracted from the root of the American ginseng plant may help improve blood sugar control. This research includes a mouse-based study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2013, which also found that American ginseng may help promote the secretion of insulin (a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels by allowing your cells to take in blood sugar to use as energy).
To date, only a few small studies have tested American ginseng's effects on blood sugar control in humans. In one study involving nine people with diabetes and 10 diabetes-free participants, for instance, researc Continue reading

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Does Diabetes Cause Dry Eyes?

Dry eye syndrome (DES), also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is one of the most commonly diagnosed eye conditions, and people with diabetes are at higher risk for this disorder. In fact, research shows that those of us with diabetes can have up to a 50 percent chance of suffering from dry eye. Dry eye syndrome is almost always a condition affecting both eyes. Symptoms include:
a scratchy sensation that feels like fine grains of sand are in the eyes,
burning, itching, blurred, or fluctuating vision,
light sensitivity,
redness, and
increased watering of the eyes, despite the name dry eye syndrome.
What causes dry eye syndrome?
Did you know that tears consist of three layers?
Outer oil layer: Prevents evaporation from the surface of the eye.
Middle layer: Mostly made of water.
Inner mucus layer: Allows the middle, watery layer to adhere to the naturally water repellant surface of the eye.
People with dry eyes either don’t produce enough tears or their tears are of poor quality. An abnormality in any of these three layers can result in symptoms of dry eye, and effective treatment depends upon correctly diagnosing which layer(s) are causing the problem.
Most cases of dry eye are thought to be due to an insufficient amount of the middle, watery layer, which is normally released by a large tear gland (the lacrimal gland) under the rim of the upper and outer eye socket (some small, accessory tear glands are located within the eyelids as well).
Research shows that most cases of dry eye associated with diabetes are caused by insufficient production of tears due to autonomic ne Continue reading

How Does Fenugreek Help Cure Diabetes?

Diet rules the life of a diabetic. The minute this becomes a part of your life, every single food item you consume requires scrutiny.
But what if I tell you that you can continue to enjoy all your favorite foods (in moderation) if you add a magic ingredient in your diet? Sounds good? Read on to find out what we are talking about.
Fenugreek—A Brief
Scientific Name—Trigonella foenum-graecum
Origin—Western Asia, Southern Europe, and Middle-East
Other Names—Methi (Hindi), Mentulu (Telugu), Ventayam (Tamil), Uluva (Malayalam)
Abundantly available in the regions of North Africa, South Asia, and Mediterranean regions, fenugreek comes in two variants—bitter-tasting seeds and leaves—that are incredibly beneficial for treating diabetic conditions.
Almost all the medicinal properties of this ingredient can be attributed to the presence of various active compounds in it. Fenugreek contains phytochemical components and essential nutrients such as trigonelline, yamogenin, chlorine, calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc, and magnesium (1).
Apart from its medicinal applications, fenugreek also has some culinary significance. The seeds of fenugreek are used as a spice in many of the Indian recipes.
Diabetes For Diabetes – How Is It Helpful?
With millions of people being affected by this disease every minute, diabetes is turning out to be an epidemic, particularly in India.
No, I’m not kidding!
According to WHO, India holds the record of carrying the most diabetic cases in the millennium year (about 31,705,000) and is expected to grow over 100% in twenty years. Th Continue reading

Are peanuts good for diabetes? Effect on disease risk

Peanuts are common in the average American diet in the form of peanut butter, candy bars, and roasted and salted peanuts. But how may eating peanuts affect people with diabetes?
People with diabetes have to carefully consider their diet. As a result, many of those with the disease wonder if peanuts are fine to eat.
This article explores a few things that people with diabetes should be aware of before making the decision to eat peanuts.
Are nuts good for people with diabetes?
There is a lot of evidence that suggests nuts, on the whole, are good for the health. According to a study posted in Nutrients, nuts and peanuts are full of nutrients. They are often also rich in healthful substances such as:
Studies have linked eating nuts to a lower risk of certain heart diseases and gallstones. They may even help with high blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation.
While nuts are high in fat and calories, the research suggests that they may even help with weight loss. From this point of view, they are a much healthier option than other snacks, such as a bag of chips. There are some other factors to consider as well, with peanuts specifically.
Glycemic index of peanuts
The glycemic index (GI) is used to rate foods based on how slow or fast they cause an increase in blood sugar. Foods lower on the GI scale tend to be converted to sugar slowly and steadily. High GI foods release glucose quickly into the bloodstream.
People with diabetes are usually more aware of these numbers. They can inform the person if and when they need to take insulin, and what and when they can eat.
The GI sc Continue reading

The Benefits and Risks of Peanuts for People with Diabetes

Peanuts are packed with a variety of nutritious properties that may benefit people with type 2 diabetes. Eating peanuts and peanut products may help:
promote weight loss
lower the risk of cardiovascular disease
control blood sugar
prevent people from developing diabetes in the first place
However, peanuts also carry some potential risks. If you have type 2 diabetes, read on to learn more about the risks and benefits of eating peanuts.
Adding peanuts and peanut butter to your diet may be beneficial, especially if you have type 2 diabetes. While not technically nuts, peanuts provide many of the same health benefits as tree nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, and pecans. Peanuts are also less expensive than most other nuts, which is great if you’re looking to save money but still want the nutritional rewards.
Peanuts help control blood sugar
If you have diabetes, you need to consider the glycemic content of the foods you eat. Glycemic content is based on how quickly your body converts carbohydrates into glucose, or blood sugar. The glycemic index (GI) is a 100-point scale that rates foods on how rapidly they cause blood sugar to rise. Foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar are given a higher value. Water, which has no effect on blood sugar, has a GI value of 0. Peanuts have a GI value of 13, which makes them a low GI food.
According to an article in the British Journal of Nutrition, eating peanuts or peanut butter in the morning may help control your blood sugar throughout the day. Peanuts may also help lessen the insulin spike of higher GI foods when paired together. One Continue reading